Hearing aid manufacturers have been dealing with the challenge of powering hearing aids for decades. As battery technology has developed, hearing aid manufacturers have been able to create smaller hearing aids. However, the size of a battery in a hearing aid still typically corresponds to the overall size of the hearing aid. Smaller hearing aids typically have smaller batteries, and smaller batteries may have shorter lives. Thus, hearing aid users may have to replace or recharge batteries in small hearing aids more often than in larger hearing aids.
Traditional behind-the-ear hearing aids may provide access to batteries with either swing-out compartments or trap doors. In hearing aids with swing-out battery compartments, the entire battery compartment may rotate in and out of the hearing aid housing. The battery may be retained in the compartment and may move with the compartment. Also, the rotational axis of a swing-out battery compartment may be located away from the battery. Alternatively, some hearing aids may include a “trap door” type battery door that provides access to the battery. A trap door may be a simple, relatively flat hinged door that opens to allow access to a battery cavity inside the hearing aid housing.
Traditional hearing aid housing and battery door configurations may not allow for larger batteries to be used with smaller hearing aids. Thus, traditional small form factor hearing aids may not have optimal battery life. Furthermore, replacing or recharging batteries in hearing aids with traditional housing and battery door configurations may be frustrating for some hearing aid wearers.